Quote from TudorJones:
Can someone more able explain this to me... It will be greatly appreciated from the very very bottom depths of my heart.
Yours Truly..
I'm going to assume that you are being serious in your questions.
The value of leverage in owning your own home is as follows:
1. Assuming 10% down, every 10% move up in price will double your invested cash, which builds equity. Long term, housing prices have averaged over 8% a year. You do the math.
2. Mortage interest is tax deductible. Do the math.
3. Gains on the investment in your home are TAX FREE up to 500K for a couple, so long as you have lived in the home for 2 years.
4. You are living in your investment. Keep trading up, and you'll retire real estate rich.
Don't believe me? I live in Scottsdale, where million dollar homes are commonplace. And the couples living in them, for the most part, just started buying in their 20s, and kept intelligently trading up as they built more equity. The easiest money in the world.
I bought my first house with 5% down and an 18% interest rate. That's right. 18%. And people say that interest rates are high now? This is a walk in the park. A no brainer.
The current downturn happens every 10-15 years. No big deal. A great buying opportunity. Sellers are anxious, lenders are making deals at (still) low interest rates, there is plenty of money to lend, and new home builders are almost giving away inventory.
I've never seen a better environment for first-time home buyers.